Jessica

When I’d heard nothing from Louie by noon, I couldn’t take it anymore. I drove my car over to his neighborhood and cruised up and down the streets, trying to locate his house. Unfortunately, I’d caught only a quick glimpse at the outside of his place last night. I knew it was a one-story brown brick home with nice landscaping, but the houses here were tract homes with limited variability. A dozen of them could have been Louie’s. Without his red Jeep in the driveway or Stinker playing on the lawn, I couldn’t be certain which one was his.

I banged a frustrated fist on my steering wheel. Dammit!

At three in the afternoon, I was sitting at my kitchen table with Shirazi on my lap and trying in vain to focus on my lesson plans for the week. It was impossible. My mind was elsewhere.

My phone pinged and I snatched it up. A text from Louie! Finally! Had it taken him that long to discover my messages? Or had he kept me waiting to teach me a lesson? I wasn’t sure. Either way, the wait had been agony.

His reply was terse. I’ll get tickets for the play we talked about. I’ll pick you up at 7:30 on Friday.

He was going to make me wait until Friday? My God, that felt like an eternity! I replied back. Can you come over to my place for dinner tonight? I wasn’t much of a cook, but I could throw together a vegetable pot pie or pick up some takeout.

It was a moot point. He came back with: Can’t. Sunday nights I have dinner with my family.

I chewed my lip. Come over after, I texted back. PLEASE!

I’m sure I sounded desperate, but that’s exactly how I felt. The longer this went on, the more likely the problem would fester. I needed to tell him my secret, to show him, while he still had feelings for me. I needed to at least get us back on speaking terms.

He waited a good twenty minutes before responding: Ok.

I heaved a huge sigh of relief, my emphatic breath parting the fur on Shirazi’s back. He cast me a look of disdain. I supposed I deserved it.

* * *

I had no idea what time Louie would come over, but I got myself ready by seven o’clock in case his family ate early. I’d put on my sexiest red lace bra under a gauzy dress that buttoned up to my collarbone. I spent extra time fixing my hair and makeup, and spritzed my wrists with vanilla-scented spray. I slid my feet into the lace-up wedges I’d worn on our first date to see Harrison’s band. Louie had cast glances at my legs several times that night, so I suspected he liked them on me.

When I finished, I took a look in the mirror. This was as good as it gets. If he didn’t find me attractive like this, he never would.

But while I was prepared physically, mentally I was mush. What if my revelation changed things between us? What if Louie no longer found me desirable once he’d seen my scars?

If he did, then he wasn’t the man I’d thought he was.

Still, a shot of whiskey would help me fortify myself in the event he did reject me or show revulsion. It would also make it easier for me to share my story and scars.

I poured two fingers in a shot glass and tossed it back.

There was a knock at my door followed by a yip-yip-yip! Looked like Louie had brought Stinker with him. I was glad. The precious little pup would add some levity to the situation.

I walked to the door, took a deep breath, and opened it. Louie stood there looking as hot and handsome as ever, though his brown eyes were steely. I bit my lip and those eyes went to my mouth, softening slightly.

Stinker jumped up on my leg. Yip!

I bent down to pet her. “Hi, girl!”

She wagged her tail, her entire body wriggling with enthusiasm.

I stood and backed up to let them in.

Louie took a few steps into my place and stopped, his meaty arms crossed over his chest.

“Come sit down.” I reached out, put a hand on his forearm, and led him to the couch.

Once he’d taken a seat on one end, I took a seat on the other, turning to face him. Hot tears welled up in my eyes again and I wiped them away. I’d probably smeared my mascara all over the place. But if Louie was going to be turned off by smudged makeup, what did any of this matter?

I took a deep breath. I wasn’t sure what to say, where to begin. But as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

“I need to show you something,” I said.

He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“This.”

I reached down, starting at the top button of my dress, slowly undoing each of them. Louie watched me with a face that was equal parts confusion and arousal.

When I was unbuttoned to my waist, I eased the dress off my shoulders, letting it fall. Other than the parts covered by my bra, my chest and stomach were exposed. As much as I wanted to look away so that I wouldn’t see the disgust in his gaze, I forced myself to keep my eyes on Louie.

But there was no disgust. Instead, Louie’s concerned gaze traveled down from my face, taking in the scarred flesh between and under my breasts. He reached out on apparent instinct and I flinched. He noticed and pulled his hand back. I felt exposed and vulnerable as I waited for him to say something.

His brow furrowed as his gaze returned to my face. “Is that why you didn’t want me to touch you? Because of your burn scars?”

I nodded, biting my lip to keep from crying again. When I regained some control, I said, “Ugly, aren’t they?” I finagled my dress back into place. “They’re the reason I arranged the fire-safety assembly for the students.” I told him the whole story then, how I’d lit the lavender candle despite being warned many times not to.

He stared into my eyes so deep I felt it in my soul. “I hate that you went through this,” he said softly, reaching out to take both of my hands in his. “But how can I think anything is ugly when it led me to you?”